Safety-signal for railroad-switches



' (No Model.)

' W. B. THOMAS & C. H. DRIVER.

SAFETY SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD, SWITCHES.-

Patented July 12 1887.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM BROWNELL THOMAS PATENT OFFICE,

AND'OHARLES HENRY DRIVER, on TOWNS,

GEORGIA.

SAFETY-SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD=SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,277, dated July 12, 1887.

Application filed Feb1uary19,1887. Serial No.228fi4l.

.15 In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railway-switch signal embodying our improvements, showing the same in connection.

with the railway track and switch. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line a: w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 1 of Fig. 1.

A represents the main track, and B represcnts the switch-rails of the side track. The said switch-rails are pivoted or constructed in the usual manner, and adapted to have their free ends moveinto alignmentor out of alignment with the rails of the main track. At a point opposite the switch and alongside the main track is erected an inelosing case or stand, 0, in which is journaled a vertical shaft, D. At the lower end ofthe said shaft is rigidly keyed asprocket-wheel, E, and above the said sprocket-wheel is a gear-wheel, F.

G represents an arm, which is bolted or otherwise secured to one of "the switch-rails, and is movable thereby, and the said arm is provided on one side with a series of rack-teeth, H, which engage the teeth of the spur-wheel 0 F. The said arm G is guided insuitable keepers or supports, I, in the case or frame 0.

K represents a stand or case, which is similar in construction to the stand or case 0, and

is located beside the main track at a distance of several hundred yards or any suitable distance from the stand or case 0, and on the same side of the track with the stand or case 0.

L represents a vertical shaft, which is journaled in the stand or case K, and has a sprocket wheel, M, keyed near its lowerend, and aspum (No model.)

wheel, N, keyed thereto at a suitable distance above the wheel M. On the side of the case K nearest the track is an opening, 0, which is arranged at the same height as the top or head of the adjacent track-rail.

P represents a rack-bar, the teeth of which engage the teeth of the wheel N,.and one end of the said rack-bar being adapted to extend through the opening 0. The said raclcbar is guided and supported by suitable keepers, R. 6c The outer end of the rack-bar is curved or concaved, and thereby adapted to fit against a circular torpedo, S, which is made of any suitable explosive, contined in a metallic shell. This torpedo is secured to the end of the rackbar by a strap or wire, T, which passes around the outer side of the torpedo, and has its ends buckled or otherwise secured to the sides of the rack-bar, as shown at Fig. l.

U represents sprocket-chains, which pass around the outer side of the sprocket-wheels E and N, and have their ends connected to gether by means of wire ropes or iron rods V, which are arranged parallel with each other, the said chains and ropes or rods forming endless connecting belts. The ropes or rods are connected to the ends of the chains by means of swivels, which are adapted to be lengthened 0r shortened, and thus enable the endless belt to be kept sufficiently tight to retain the links of the sprocket-chains always in engage ment with the teeth of the sprocket-wheels. The ropes or rods are run through iron pipes WV, in order to hide them from sight and preventthem from being tampered with by tramps or idle and mischievous persons,

The switch-rails may be moved by means of an ordinary target-lever such as are now in common use, or by any other suitable means.

N 0 such lever is shown in the drawings, for 0 the reason that itforms no part of our inven tion, and will be readily understood to be nec essary by railroad builders and operatives and other persons skilled in the art.

From the foregoing description itwill be understood that when the switch-rails are moved so as to align with the side track, and thereby open the main track, the rack-arm G will cause the sprocket-wheel E to partly rotate, and thereby turn the shaft D. As the too provided with a signal-target.

said sprocket wheel E is connected to the sprocket-wheel M in the case K by an endless belt, the said sprocket-wheel M will be also causedto partly rotate, and thereby turn the shaft L, andthus cause the latter to partly rotate the spur-wheel N, and thereby move the raekarin P toward the track, so that the torpedo will be held by the rack-bar on the up per side of one of the rails, where it will be exploded by the wheels of a passing train, and thereby indicate to the engineer that theswitch ahead is open.

The shaft L extends upwardly from the case or frame K about four or five feet, and carries at its upper end a signal-lantern, and is also This lantern or target will indicate that the switch is open before the engine reaches a point on the track opposite the case or frame K; but in the event that the engineer should not see or heed the signal he will he certainly aroused when the torpedo explodes, and thus given timely notice to stop the train before reaching the switch.

/ When theswitch-rails are moved out ofalign ment with the rails of the main track, the shafts D and L will be turned so as to withdraw the arm carrying the torpedo, and also set the signals on the shaft L to indicate that the switch is set for the main line.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. The combination, with the switch-rails, of the shaft D, geared thereto and adapted to rotate when the switch-rails are moved, the shaft L, connected to the shaft D and adapted to be rotated thereby, the said shaft L being arranged at a suitable distance from the shaft D, and the arm I, connected to the shaft L and adapted to be moved when the latter is turned, the said arm 1? being adapted to carry the torpedo and place the same upon the track when the switch is open, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a railway-switch signal, of the shaft D; connected to the switchrails and adapted to be partly rotated when the switch-rails are moved, the sprocket-wheel E, keyed to the shaft D, the shaft L, arranged at a suitable distance from the shaft D, and having the sprocketwhcel M, the endless belt or chain connecting the said sprocketwheels, the gear-whe'el N, keyed to the shaft L, and the rack-arm P to carry a torpedo, and geared to the wheel N, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as 5 our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

. WILLIAM BROWNELL THOMAS.

CHARLES HENRY DRWER.

\Vitnesses:

T. P. WINDSOR, A. L. Evans. 

